NFL Stadium Rankings and Fan Experiences
Recently SI.com did a study to determine who has the best fan experience at games:
- Last month we set out to gauge just how happy the paying customer — you — are with your local NFL product. What are you getting in return for your patronage? We asked readers to complete an extensive online survey ranking their hometown NFL stadium in everything from ticket prices to hospitality to the product on the field — winning matters, after all. Nearly a third of the surveys submitted came from season-ticket holders, and the average number of games attended per season by all respondents was 3.23, so suffice it to say that those who took the time to participate are die-hards.
The Chiefs ranked 12th overall in this study and here is now they stacked up in the five individual categories.
Availability & Food: 16
Tailgating: 3
Team Quality: 22
Atmosphere: 5
Accessibility: 25
It said that all of these factors were weighted equally so it is obvious that our ‘Team Quality’ and ‘Accessibility’ held us back. The ‘accessibility’ should be better after the renovations at Arrowhead, but as far as the ‘Team Quality’, your guess is as good as mine.
Now, instead of complaining how Denver is ranked #3 overall in the list or that Green Bay and Buffalo were ranked ahead of the Chiefs in Tailgating I decided to focus on some of the more interesting parts of what we’ll call the “Worst Experience Factor”
This is from the Broncos section:
What is the worst incident you have witnessed against an opposing fan or yourself at the ballpark?
- “I saw an opposing fan [a Bengals fan dressed as Santa with a Chad Johnson jersey] get shoved down about four aisles of seats on Christmas Eve after the guy stood on his seat and cheered a Bengals interception of a Jay Cutler pass. Then all the Broncos fans in the section blamed the altercation on the Bengals fan, who got kicked out of the game.”
- “During the second quarter of an AFC West contest between the Broncos and K.C., a Broncos idiot launched a full beer and a load of expletives, at a K.C. mom and her kid, who were just watching the game. The kid stood there wet and crying.”
- “Lincoln Kennedy getting hit with snowballs was awesome. Him going up into the stands was not so awesome.”
- “A Cincinnati fan was severely bludgeoned with his own trumpet after playing Charge! for the Bengals for three quarters during a game at the old Mile High Stadium in the early ’80s. I do remember it being annoying, but still. I was 5, and that is my first Broncos memory.”
This is from the Chargers section:
- “I avoid that by never going to the Raiders games. Basically, Raiders fans should all be either turned away or arrested, maybe both.“
- “Every year the ‘Raider Nation’ shows up and as a group act like a—s. My whole family has season tickets and my mom and some of our friends don’t bother to show up because of how most (definitely not all of them) act.“
- “We play the Raiders every year … take your pick of any violent incident possible.“
- “A Raiders fan was caught on tape stabbing a Chargers fan once at the stadium. After that, they no longer sold single-game tickets to home games against the Raiders. Yeah, I still don’t go to those.“
This is from the Raiders section:
- “Making an apposing fan pee on the wall. They would not let him use the urinal or stalls.“
- “With a 5-year-old, we were totally surrounded by drunks using “F” bombs the whole game.“
- “A Raiders fan had a sock full of loose change, used it to club a Broncos fan and knock him out.“
- “A Raiders fan peed on a Broncos fan who had the courage to pop off and wear his colors into the black hole. I would not recommend that to anybody — especially a Broncos fan.“
And here is the CHIEFS section:
- “Raiders fans at Arrowhead. Enough said.“
- “Somebody hit a Raiders fan with a car … I clapped.“
- “Spitting in a Raiders fan’s face.“
There seems to be a common theme, no?
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Comments
4 Comments on NFL Stadium Rankings and Fan Experiences
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Ryan Lode on
Wed, 15th Oct 2008 4:37 pm
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Chief TD Warrior on
Thu, 16th Oct 2008 2:14 am
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Nate Matthews on
Fri, 17th Oct 2008 7:02 pm
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Hans Steiniger on
Mon, 19th Jan 2009 6:32 pm
Good article. At the last game (the amazing win versus the Donkey’s) we had several Bronco’s fans sitting in our section. Obviously there was some good natured fun poked back and forth but nothing extreme and definitely nothing violent. When the one Bronco’s player got hurt and had to be carted off the field, I made a point to wish the Bronco’s fans the best. No matter who it is we’re playing I never want to see someone get seriously hurt, it is just a game afterall.
I happened to get quite a response from the one fan, completely decked out in Bronco’s attire and a big ‘ole Donkey head hat. He was very sincere and told me that he has been to at least a dozen NFL stadiums and has never been treated with so much respect as he does when he’s at Arrowhead. Even though he’s an opposing fan, and good natured ribbing is expected back and forth, he always enjoyed his trips to Arrowhead and appreciated the way our fans treated him. That made me feel good about being a Chiefs fan and a first year season ticket holder.
I once went to a Raider game at Arrowhead and I hit a Raider fan with my car…somebody started clapping.
Me and my fiance went to a Bronco game as chiefs fans, and they kicked our butt. Portis ran for like 200 yards. We tried to sneek out with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and people were throwing beers at us, and spitting on my 8 month pregnet fiance. Denver people are rude to opposing fans. I have never saw that in K.C.
Hey, I’m on a journey to attend a football game in all 31 stadiums in the NFL. So far I’ve been to 26 of the 31 stadiums including Kansas City. I gotta say that I really enjoyed Arrowhead Stadium. Lots of great fans with a solid welcoming attitude and some great tailgating. My website is dedicated to chronicleing my journey with links and tools to help other who are interested in the same type of trip.
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